Former Army Chaplain Describes Combat Experiences That Led To PTSD

Former Army Chaplain Describes Combat Experiences That Led To PTSD
Former Army chaplain Jim Johnson became one of the walking wounded after his combat experiences in Vietnam, but it took him years to realize that he really needed help. Dr. Johnson, who is the author of "The Aftermath of Combat Trauma," a memoir about his journey through Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), spoke at Campbell University's Friends of the Library's annual dinner meeting on Sept. 26.

Dr. Johnson was only 26 when he served with an Infantry Battalion of 350 soldiers in Vietnam. Out of the eight and a half months he spent with them, more than 900 were wounded and 96 were killed. Dr. Johnson was in 22 firefights and several major battles. He later became a master at suppressing his feelings.

"For many years I had feelings and I didn't know what they were about," he said. "I was a chaplain, I was a helper. But as time went by, I suffered from extreme fatigue; I became withdrawn and didn't want to answer the phone at night, and I began to have terrible dreams and flashbacks."
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